This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
House: Hufflepuff
Year: 4
Category: Drabble
Prompt: [Action] Attending a muggle high school prom as a witch/wizard
Word Count: 908
Au-Canon
Not-So-Magical Night
Draco overheard the Golden Trio discussing something which seemed to be of great importance to Granger. He had already heard her talk about her younger sister on occasion. When he heard Hermione say that Aldepha's boyfriend had been caught cheating and she needed a date to a Muggle event; he couldn't help but think perhaps this was his chance to get to know more about Muggles.
Draco didn't want to admit it, but he had always been curious about "prom" and other Muggle customs. This was a chance he just couldn't pass up. He could ask anything he wanted without letting his reputation get in the way of the genuine curiosity that lay beneath the surface.
He only hoped that Hermione hadn't told her sister anything badsothat way he could just be a regular guy for a change. Hermione was reluctant to accept his offer, but perhaps due to his persistence—or lack of other volunteers—she agreed to let him accompany Adelpha Granger to her prom.
The night came quickly for both them, and they were anxious for their own reasons.
Does Hermione's friend know how to slow dance?
How much does he know about Muggles?
Will he embarrass me in front of my friends?
Draco's mind was focused on important things.
Would her corsage match her dress?
Does his Muggle suit look okay?
Would she like him?
Could he make a friend that was unfazed by his social status?
He spied the brunette coming down the stairs at the Granger's house and caught his breath. Aldepha Granger had the same curly brown hair as her sister and striking brown eyes. She was tall and had a slender build. She was a vision in a powder pink ball gown with a sweetheart neckline, strappy heels, her hair in soft loose curls around her face, and her make-up was soft and not overpowering.
"Wow," Draco said, forgetting his regular eloquence in the presence of his date.
Adelpha was nervous, but smiled as she saw how handsome her date was. The wrist corsage was perfect, and it matched her dress beautifully. She had been planning all this since she was six, and the handsome blond was there to make the night perfect.
Since Draco was accustomed to the best, and familiar with formal events, that aspect wasn't worrying him. He was about to spend a night surrounded by Muggles, going as a date to one of the most important Muggle events of a young adult's life. He was happy for the comfortable silence as the hired horse and carriage took them to the school's gym where the prom was supposed to take place.
When they started talking, Draco made a point of asking the most basic questions as to not look like a fool in front of her friends. They both knew that her friends expected the ex to accompany her, and was surprised when she introduced him.
"This is a friend of mine that goes to boarding school with my older sister," Adelpha explained, and after a while the gossip had spread around the hall and everyone knew that Adelpha and her boyfriend had broken up.
Draco took in the sights, the hallway was decorated in blue and silvers. The irony of the theme made him laugh, it was MAGIC. Adelpha joined in on the humour and they had their own inside-joke. Adelpha pulled Draco towards the photographers excitedly. The gym hall was decorated with stars and balloons, the table cloths a shiny silver material.
The tables were numbered and lined the edge of the dancefloor. A stage had been set up where they had live performers.
"Wow. How did the school manage to afford all this?" Draco asked curiously, he was aware not everyone was as wealthy as his family.
"We came together as a bunch of friends and went fundraising door-to-door to make sure we raised enough money," Adelpha explained.
They danced and chatted while Adelpha often paused to explain different things.
"Why are people walking around to bring more snacks?" Draco asked curiously.
She giggled before saying, "You know we cannot just make food appear out of thin air, right?" Which he laughed at as well, of course it made sense when he thought about it.
"Why are those boxes playing the music through them? I could even hear them in the bathroom." He commented.
Adelpha nodded seriously and said, "Muggle technology, it's called an amplifier. Makes the sound travel all across the room."
Adelpha saw a curious side of the blond that her sister never had. He didn't come across as a "pompous ass" like Hermione described. She honestly believed that perhaps Draco just needed some help realising that everything he was told about Muggles was wrong, and she was the one to point him in the right direction.
If anyone had seen the two at the prom, they looked like just another regular couple. For Adelpha, it was quite the magical night, and she knew she would remember it for the rest of her life. The feeling of being a princess, with a handsome prince on her arm, was just what she had always dreamed of.
But for Draco, he could happily say it ended up being a not-so-magical night after all. It was better than he had hoped, and exactly what he needed to make him see Muggles in a whole new light. Maybe there was hope for the Slytherin after all…